SMI Workshop List Friday Workshop, September 30, 2016 Beginning at 1:00 p.m. Small Church Workshop Opportunity Additional Cost: $20 per person, or $40 max for more than two serving the same church. *Thriving Youth Ministry in Smaller Churches (Friday, 4-hour Intensive Course) with Stephanie Caro Saturday Workshops, October 1, 2016 Building Your Volunteer Team with Leslie Manning Building in Balcony Time with Stephanie Caro Conference Question and Answer with Rev. Dr. Stephen Cook and LaToya Redd Thompson Exile: Ministry in a Post Christian Context with Rush Polsgrove Looking Ahead: Discovering the Art of the 1 year Calendar with Corey Truett Organic Student Ministry with Stephen Ingram That s a Story! Now tell it. with Tamica Smith-Jeuitt What s IS a Student Leader Cohort with Mark DeVries, Leslie Manning and Mike Howington
Saturday Workshops Descriptions Building Your Volunteer Team Workshop Building Your Volunteer Team: The rise and fall of every youth ministry hinges on the leadership team on the field. This session integrates the sometimes isolated tasks of hiring staff, recruiting leaders, and galvanizing parental and congregational support. Participants learn principles for stewarding the gifts, tending the souls, and choreographing the wide variety of leaders in their ministries. Volunteer recruitment, training and empowerment will be of particular focus for this session as we look at the role of these essential players and how to maximize both their gifts and time. Building Your Volunteer Team Workshop leader bio Leslie Manning: Leslie first became truly engaged in youth ministry while attending Auburn University to study Sociology. She worked as Youth Minister at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church for four years. Prior to her experience at Holy Trinity, Leslie had been a camp counselor at Camp Beckwith and a volunteer for Young Life. After leaving Holy Trinity, Leslie followed a call to Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville where she served as the Youth Ministry Coordinator. Leslie was first introduced to Ministry Architects while serving at the Cathedral. After serving at the Cathedral, Leslie served on the Diocesan youth ministry staff for the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. In that role, she coordinated youth events, supported full-time and volunteer youth ministry in and around the Diocese, and coordinated the Episcopal non-profit, Sawyerville Day Camp, a free summer program that is staffed by high school and college age volunteers and offered for free in one of the most impoverished counties in Alabama. Under her leadership, the camp tripled in size--both in attendance and volunteer numbers but also in regards to the budget. Leslie spent a lot of her time not only coordinating and overseeing this free summer program but also fund raising and garnering awareness and support. Recently the camp expanded and added a free academic program for rising 5th and 6th graders, an incredibly successful summer learning program that is already gaining recognition all over the Southeast because of its deep impact and quick results. Currently Leslie is focusing more time at home and on her family with the recent addition of her second daughter. She can also be found serving as a coach for the Center for Youth Ministry training or working for Ministry Architects, something she has enjoyed doing since 2008. Leslie is married to the Rev. Bentley Manning, an Episcopal priest, and together they have two young daughters, Mary Bentley and Alice. Building in Balcony Time Workshop Building in Balcony Time - Few things impact the long-term health of a youth ministry quite like the practice of its key leader(s) taking Balcony Time. What is it? It s not Sabbath time. It's not Office time. It IS time set apart each week to identify and strategize about what you need to think about to move your life and ministry forward. And sadly, it is often the one component that is most commonly absent from most ministry people. Building in Balcony Time Workshop leader bio Stephanie Caro has been involved in ministry to children, youth, and adults in the local church since a long time. Her humorous, straightforward
style keeps her busy presenting and coaching at conferences, training events, camps, mission trips, retreats, churches, etc. She is Senior Consultant for Ministry Architects, which allows her to help churches assess, vision, and formulate their ministry game plan. Her books, Thriving Youth Ministry in Smaller Churches and 99 Thoughts for the Smaller Church Youth Worker, were published by Group/Simply Youth Ministry. Her next books, Ten Solutions (to 10 Common Mistakes in Small Churches) and Small(er) Church Youth Ministry: No Staff, No Money, No Problem come out in 2016. Stephanie is a contributing author to several ministry resources like YouthWorker Journal in addition to her regular column Smaller Church Youth Ministry in Group Magazine. Check out Stephanie's blog, part of the #1 read youth ministry blog network, youthministry.com from Simply Youth Ministry/Group Publishing. She also blogs for youthspecialties.com, Princeton Theological Seminary, and others. Stephanie and her husband, Steve, live in Houston, TX. Their 7 children are all grown! Conference Question and Answer Learn of the passion of the cabinet for our students. District Superintendent Cook will share with you how to connect to your district offices, the opportunities of the connectional ministries mission grants, and concepts to use when creating a healthy structure of leadership within your local church. This is also your opportunity to share your story so that your voice is brought to the cabinet. To popcorn ideas of how the conference can best assist local churches to live out the POWER of we through student ministry. Special Guests will include LaToya Redd Thompson, MS Conference Lay Leader and Rev. Vickie White, Director of Connectional Ministries and Communications. Conference Question and Answer Workshop leader bio the church include pastor at Central UMC in Jackson, Revels Memorial UMC in Greenville, president of Bethlehem Center board of directors, president of the Jackson State University Wesley Foundation board of directors, president of the Mississippi Valley State University Wesley Foundation board of directors, vice-president of the Center for Ministry board of directors, member of the Mississippi Annual Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, the Mississippi Annual Conference Board of Medical Benefits, The United Methodist Hour board of directors and the Mississippi Annual Conference Commission on Religion and Race. Cook has a Bachelor of Arts from Mississippi State University, a Master of Divinity from Memphis Theological Seminary and Doctor of Ministry student from Memphis Theological Seminary. He and his wife Erma have two children, Sylvia and Endia. The Rev. Stephen Cook joined the cabinet as district superintendent of the West Jackson District in June 2015. Cook s previous positions in
Exile: Ministry in a Post Christian Context Whether or not we want to admit it, the influence of the church has waned. We now have to figure out how to minister to a culture that doesn't value the voice of the church like it once did. Exile: Ministry in a Post Christian Context Workshop leader bio SMI Cohort leader, Russ Polsgrove has been in student ministry for 16 years and is an advocate for calling teenagers into adulthood, shedding the myth that teenagers are just kids. He is currently the High School Minister at The Orchard and pastor of Origins, a satellite campus of The Orchard in Tupelo, MS where he lives with his wife and three children. Looking Ahead: Discovering the Art of the 1 year Calendar Workshop This generation of students are the most scheduled and busiest of any we have ever seen! Sports, schools and extracurricular activities DOMINATE their lives and many of them know when their events will be held 6-12 months out. Why is the church not doing this? In this class, Truett will help you discover the art of the 1 year calendar for youth ministry, and give you the tools to make the ultimate "refrigerator-able" calendar for your youth families. Help them make church a priority, not just another activity in their busy lives! Looking Ahead: Discovering the Art of the 1 year Calendar Workshop leader bio I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the pastor of a new United Methodist coffee shop / cafe church plant south of Olive Branch, MS called The Well @ Lewisburg, and a 20 year youth ministry veteran. I love my wife, Heather, who is forever insistent (even as I am typing this!) that she is a Time Lady from Gallifrey. I love my children Savannah, Haydn, and David, who, poor things, inherited all of my strangeness and my spiritual gift of sarcasm. All of these are my pride and joy, and where I find my peace. Organic Student Ministry Workshop Organic Student Ministry is a holistic ministry approach for student ministries that moves away from the chemical, insta growth themed quick fix approach found in most youth ministry approaches and calls the youth minister to dig deep in the soil of church finding the local context and learning what grows best in that soil. Organic Student Ministry has already gained a lot of traction in since the book was released. Organic Student Ministry Workshop leader bio Stephen Ingram is a dad, husband, and foodie. He has the joy of serving as the Director of Whole Life Spirituality Canterbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham, Ala. Prior to that he worked as a student minister for over 18 years and also serve as a lead consultant with Ministry Architects. He lives in Birmingham with his wife Mary Liz and their three kids Mary Clare, Patrick, and Nora Grace. He blogs regularly at www.12stonespirituality.com His books include Hollow Faith: How Andy Griffith, Facebook and the American Dream Neutered the Gospel, ExtraOrdinary Time; 365 Ordinary Moments with and Anything But Ordinary God and Organic Student Ministry.
That s a Story! Now tell it. Workshop One of the most powerful gifts a local church can offer to the world is its stories. Perhaps you are not sure what makes a good story or how to spread the word beyond the church walls about God s goodness. This workshop led by Tamica Smith Jeuitt, the Communications Specialist for the Mississippi Conference, will demonstrate sound professional techniques to help you convey life inspiring accounts in multi-media forms. Plan to leave inspired through Jeuitt s passion for storytelling! That s a Story! Now tell it. Workshop leader bio Tamica Smith Jeuitt has 20 years combined work experience in news and public relations. She joined the Mississippi Conference communications staff in October 2012. Before that, she was the Director of Public Affairs for the Mississippi American Red Cross. She earned her Bachelors of Arts in broadcasting from Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After graduation, she worked for several media organizations including television stations in Baton Rouge, the Alabama cities, Huntsville and Birming ham and Fort Wayne, Indiana where she was born. In 2004, she moved to Jackson, Mississippi as the weekend news anchor and reporter for the CBS affiliate, WJTV. Jeuitt is a member of the United Methodist Association of Communicators, the National Association of Black Journalists (Jackson), the Public Relations Association of Mississippi (Central Chapter) and the Southern Public Relations Federation. She s a former member of the Jackson State University Mass Communications Department Advisory Council. She is the recipient of numerous communications awards and has been recognized by her peers for her work. Jeuitt lives in Madison County with her husband Rob and daughter Madison. What s IS a Student Leader Cohort Workshop What s IS a Student Leader Cohort (and how can my students be a part of one?): Starting this January, the Mississippi Conference will be rolling out its first, 2- year, Student Leader Cohort group. Come and learn what it is, how it works and how students from your church can be nominated. What s IS a Student Leader Cohort Workshop Leaders Mark DeVries, Leslie Manning and Mike Howington
*Small Church Workshop Opportunity Additional Cost: $20 per person, or $40 for more than two serving the same church. Beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Friday. Thriving Youth Ministry in Smaller Churches (Friday, 4-hour Intensive Course)with Stephanie Caro Thriving Youth Ministry in Smaller Churches = You might think ministry in a smaller church setting is a hindrance. Well, it's not! Smaller churches are the norm in youth ministry and "thriving" can absolutely be a part of your ministry description. Let's explore what critical mass is for a smaller church, how to get there, and habits that are keeping smaller churches from reaching their magical numbers. Thriving Youth Ministry in Smaller Churches Workshop leader bio Stephanie Caro has been involved in ministry to children, youth, and adults in the local church since a long time. Her humorous, straightforward style keeps her busy presenting and coaching at conferences, training events, camps, mission trips, retreats, churches, etc. She is Senior Consultant for Ministry Architects, which allows her to help churches assess, vision, and formulate their ministry game plan. Her books, Thriving Youth Ministry in Smaller Churches and 99 Thoughts for the Smaller Church Youth Worker, were published by Group/Simply Youth Ministry. Her next books, Ten Solutions (to 10 Common Mistakes in Small Churches) and Small(er) Church Youth Ministry: No Staff, No Money, No Problem come out in 2016. Stephanie is a contributing author to several ministry resources like YouthWorker Journal in addition to her regular column Smaller Church Youth Ministry in Group Magazine. Check out Stephanie's blog, part of the #1 read youth ministry blog network, youthministry.com from Simply Youth Ministry/Group Publishing. She also blogs for youthspecialties.com, Princeton Theological Seminary, and others. Stephanie and her husband, Steve, live in Houston, TX. Their 7 children are all grown!